Pharmacist salary by percentile
Half of all pharmacists earn more than $140,910 and the middle half earn between $129,380 and $161,840.[1][2] The bottom of the range is wide: the 10th percentile ($99,290) is $30,090 below the 25th, while the top of the range is compressed: the 75th and 90th percentiles are only $12,390 apart. In practice most full-time pharmacist offers land between the 25th and 75th percentiles, so an offer under $129,380 is worth questioning. The take-home column applies 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer.[7][8]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $99,290 | $47.74 | $78,681 |
| 25th | $129,380 | $62.20 | $99,697 |
| Median (50th) | $140,910 | $67.75 | $107,578 |
| 75th | $161,840 | $77.81 | $121,884 |
| 90th | $174,230 | $83.76 | $130,352 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
Pharmacist hourly pay
Pharmacist hourly pay is $67.75 at the national median, $47.74 at the 10th percentile and $83.76 at the 90th.[1] These are straight-time rates converted at 2,080 hours a year; overtime and shift differentials are excluded.[3] Many retail pharmacists work 12-hour shifts or alternating weeks, so the calculator lets you set your real hours.
Pharmacist salary by state
Alaska pays pharmacists the most, with a median of $167,310, followed by Oregon ($165,960) and California ($164,610); Rhode Island has the lowest median at $128,180.[1][4] The table ranks every state and shows how many pharmacists each one employs.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Alaska | $167,310 | $80.44 | $133,830 | $196,020 | 560 |
| 2. Oregon | $165,960 | $79.79 | $126,040 | $193,860 | 3,250 |
| 3. California | $164,610 | $79.14 | $90,560 | $213,820 | 34,030 |
| 4. Hawaii | $163,220 | $78.47 | $127,410 | $177,290 | 1,190 |
| 5. Washington | $160,610 | $77.22 | $126,230 | $205,210 | 7,350 |
| 6. Minnesota | $159,740 | $76.80 | $98,150 | $174,660 | 6,310 |
| 7. Colorado | $156,030 | $75.01 | $120,410 | $188,430 | 4,560 |
| 8. District of Columbia | $153,400 | $73.75 | $64,870 | $196,080 | 850 |
| 9. Delaware | $152,880 | $73.50 | $103,170 | $178,760 | 790 |
| 10. Wisconsin | $148,740 | $71.51 | $112,020 | $178,090 | 5,730 |
| 11. New Mexico | $147,000 | $70.67 | $103,500 | $174,200 | 1,730 |
| 12. Arizona | $146,930 | $70.64 | $103,490 | $171,660 | 6,900 |
| 13. South Dakota | $146,790 | $70.57 | $112,200 | $166,340 | 1,280 |
| 14. Idaho | $144,900 | $69.66 | $102,180 | $164,050 | 1,790 |
| 15. Indiana | $144,290 | $69.37 | $107,050 | $169,360 | 6,430 |
| 16. Utah | $144,240 | $69.35 | $70,260 | $172,440 | 2,830 |
| 17. Virginia | $144,060 | $69.26 | $106,800 | $173,550 | 7,980 |
| 18. New Hampshire | $143,020 | $68.76 | $98,870 | $170,030 | 1,130 |
| 19. New York | $142,090 | $68.31 | $92,910 | $174,550 | 19,760 |
| 20. Montana | $142,080 | $68.31 | $98,660 | $165,260 | 1,190 |
| 21. North Dakota | $142,040 | $68.29 | $105,490 | $167,940 | 1,070 |
| 22. Connecticut | $141,290 | $67.93 | $106,660 | $165,360 | 3,490 |
| 23. Maine | $140,930 | $67.75 | $101,360 | $166,810 | 1,380 |
| 24. Nevada | $140,030 | $67.32 | $104,000 | $168,600 | 2,500 |
| 25. Wyoming | $139,550 | $67.09 | $115,820 | $168,450 | 510 |
| 26. Nebraska | $139,330 | $66.99 | $84,990 | $170,090 | 2,450 |
| 27. Illinois | $139,080 | $66.87 | $98,970 | $169,430 | 12,070 |
| 28. Maryland | $138,990 | $66.82 | $115,860 | $169,890 | 5,400 |
| 29. Iowa | $138,860 | $66.76 | $117,450 | $164,520 | 3,230 |
| 30. North Carolina | $138,860 | $66.76 | $101,670 | $169,820 | 11,430 |
| 31. Texas | $138,260 | $66.47 | $95,950 | $170,170 | 24,700 |
| 32. Massachusetts | $138,170 | $66.43 | $113,710 | $164,500 | 7,230 |
| 33. Pennsylvania | $138,160 | $66.42 | $112,750 | $163,570 | 14,090 |
| 34. Michigan | $137,860 | $66.28 | $101,740 | $168,540 | 8,780 |
| 35. Kansas | $137,800 | $66.25 | $78,770 | $169,310 | 3,500 |
| 36. New Jersey | $137,620 | $66.16 | $112,560 | $172,110 | 9,420 |
| 37. Missouri | $137,610 | $66.16 | $107,530 | $166,840 | 6,740 |
| 38. Georgia | $137,120 | $65.92 | $100,950 | $170,110 | 10,530 |
| 39. Ohio | $137,020 | $65.88 | $65,470 | $165,900 | 12,790 |
| 40. Kentucky | $136,530 | $65.64 | $84,280 | $168,940 | 5,030 |
| 41. Vermont | $136,270 | $65.51 | $117,860 | $164,370 | 530 |
| 42. Arkansas | $136,060 | $65.41 | $105,560 | $164,940 | 2,900 |
| 43. Florida | $135,970 | $65.37 | $56,000 | $166,310 | 21,540 |
| 44. South Carolina | $135,700 | $65.24 | $82,430 | $170,270 | 5,320 |
| 45. Oklahoma | $135,140 | $64.97 | $100,320 | $162,070 | 3,610 |
| 46. Alabama | $134,630 | $64.73 | $90,010 | $161,940 | 5,400 |
| 47. West Virginia | $133,430 | $64.15 | $80,900 | $166,020 | 2,260 |
| 48. Tennessee | $133,390 | $64.13 | $88,700 | $164,430 | 8,250 |
| 49. Mississippi | $133,230 | $64.05 | $97,260 | $158,230 | 3,050 |
| 50. Louisiana | $132,410 | $63.66 | $100,920 | $156,740 | 5,610 |
| 51. Rhode Island | $128,180 | $61.63 | $86,650 | $161,090 | 1,510 |
Pay by work setting
Hospital pharmacists earn the most of the five largest employers, a $157,290 median in May 2025, while pharmacies and drug retailers pay the least at $132,940.[5] Hospital roles, residency and the full hospital pay range are on clinical pharmacist salary; pharmacists who move into industry sales are compared on pharmaceutical sales rep salary.
| Industry | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Hospitals (state, local and private) | $157,290 |
| Ambulatory healthcare services | $153,920 |
| General merchandise retailers | $151,370 |
| Food and beverage retailers | $144,000 |
| Pharmacies and drug retailers | $132,940 |
Pharmacist vs pharmacy technician salary
A pharmacist earns 3.1 times the pharmacy technician median nationally ($140,910 vs $45,750), a gap of $95,160 a year.[1][6] The gap is the return on a four-year Doctor of Pharmacy degree plus prerequisites, against a technician path that can take a few months. Pick any two pharmacy careers and a state below.
Pharmacist vs pharmacy technician pay
Every published percentile side by side, nationally or in one state.
United States · BLS May 2025
$95,160 median gap
Pharmacists earn $95,160 more at the median (208.0%).
| Percentile | Pharmacist | Pharmacy technician | A − B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $99,290 | $36,020 | +$63,270 |
| 25th | $129,380 | $37,850 | +$91,530 |
| Median | $140,910 | $45,750 | +$95,160 |
| 75th | $161,840 | $49,990 | +$111,850 |
| 90th | $174,230 | $61,040 | +$113,190 |
| Take-home at median* | $107,578 | $38,940 | +$68,638 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal tax and FICA, no state tax.
Estimate, not a pay offer. BLS survey estimates for employees in May 2025. Overtime, bonuses and self-employed pay are not included.
| State | Pharmacist | Pharmacy tech | Gap | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $164,610 | $55,110 | $109,500 | 3.0× |
| Texas | $138,260 | $45,900 | $92,360 | 3.0× |
| Florida | $135,970 | $43,590 | $92,380 | 3.1× |
| New York | $142,090 | $43,930 | $98,160 | 3.2× |
| Washington | $160,610 | $58,900 | $101,710 | 2.7× |
| Ohio | $137,020 | $40,650 | $96,370 | 3.4× |
Whether the degree pays for itself depends mostly on what you borrow. The pharmacy school cost page has a payback calculator, and pharmacist school covers the length of PharmD programs and the licensing exams. Technician pay is broken down on pharmacy technician salary.
Job outlook for pharmacists
BLS projects pharmacist employment to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations, with about 12,500 openings a year on average, many of them to replace pharmacists who retire or change careers. Pharmacists held about 325,200 jobs in 2025. For comparison, BLS projects 6% growth and about 44,700 openings a year for pharmacy technicians.[5]
Frequently asked questions
How much do pharmacists make?
The national median is $140,910 a year (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $129,380 to $161,840.
How much do pharmacists make an hour?
$67.75 at the median; $47.74 at the 10th percentile and $83.76 at the 90th.
Which state pays pharmacists the most?
Alaska ($167,310 median), then Oregon and California. Rhode Island is lowest at $128,180.
How much more does a pharmacist make than a pharmacy technician?
$95,160 a year at the national median: $140,910 for pharmacists vs $45,750 for pharmacy technicians.
What is the pharmacist take-home pay?
About $107,578 a year ($8,965 a month) at the median for a single filer after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, before any state income tax.
Sources
- Local Wages: 29-1051.00 Pharmacists (state and metro percentiles)
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- OEWS employment by state, May 2025 (series OEUS…29205201 and OEUS…29105101)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Pharmacists
- Local Wages: 29-2052.00 Pharmacy Technicians (state and metro percentiles)
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)
- Contribution and Benefit Base ($184,500 for 2026)